A major exhibition about Victoria Wood opens to the public today (Tuesday 21 April) at Bury Art Museum.
Created to mark the tenth anniversary of her passing, it celebrates the life and achievements of Bury’s most famous daughter and much-loved entertainer.
Courtesy of Victoria Wood’s Literary Estate, and her family members, the exhibition features original scripts, letters, song sheets and photos which all once belonged to Victoria.
Among the items on display are notebooks full of Victoria’s ideas, and original lyrics for the song “The Ballad of Barry and Freda” (aka “Let’s Do It”)
Photos from her childhood in Bury, her teenage years and as a student at Birmingham University
Scripts, some of which are handwritten and annotated by Victoria, including “Talent”, “Victoria Wood Presents”, “Dinnerladies”, “As Seen on TV”, “Housewife 49”, and “Acorn Antiques the Musical” and Victoria’s awards, including her OBE, CBE and her BAFTAs
The exhibition will also include a video montage, which shows ‘behind the scenes’ footage of the filming of “Victoria Wood’s All Day Breakfast”, which was broadcast on BBC One on Christmas Day 1992, and a recording of a rehearsal of “Dinnerladies” before a live audience.
Characters from her stand-up routine, such as Kimberley’s Friend and Hayley Bailey, the step aerobics instructor, can be seen, as can Victoria performing the song “The Ballad of Barry and Freda”.
This exhibition also features the work of photographers Andy Hollingworth and Harry Borden, whose work shows many of Victoria’s collaborators. Manchester artist Stanley Chow has created a new artwork of Victoria for the exhibition.
